A new service handing out hot drinks and food to homeless people in Edinburgh is hoping to help rough sleepers this winter, and beyond.

Humanist Society Scotland launched their StreetCare scheme on Monday (29 October). Seven volunteers have so far signed up to help, and will be connecting with rough sleepers in Edinburgh city centre every Monday night for the foreseeable future.

The volunteers will provide a friendly listening ear and some company for people on the streets, as well as food and drink.

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Unlike the Street Pastors scheme, which provides "ministry" to rough sleepers alongside hot drinks and food, the Humanist Society Scotland StreetCare group will not have any religious element, as humanism is an ethical, rational, non-religious movement that emphasizes the value of human beings.

Humanist Society Scotland spokesperson Fraser Sutherland told Edinburgh Live: "Our StreetCare scheme has no agenda, and we don't have a 'message' we're trying to spread to rough sleepers. We're simply here to help and provide practical support to people who have found themselves on the street for any reason.

"We'll also be working closely with Streetwork Edinburgh to help direct rough sleepers to sources of support and accommodation."

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The group are looking for more volunteers at the moment; the Glasgow StreetCare team, which has been running for eight years, have over 30 volunteers. If you want to help and are free on Monday evenings, all you need to do is email ceo@humanism.scot.

The Glasgow team work with Marks and Spencer and Pret a Manger stores in Central Glasgow to ensure any food they have due to be disposed can be used by the project.

If you are a cafe owner in Edinburgh and want to help by donating your unused sandwiches to the scheme, again, please email ceo@humanism.scot to offer your donations of any prepared food that would otherwise have gone to waste.

Two Edinburgh Live reporters will be joining the HSS StreetCare team to work alongside the volunteers on 19 November, so stay tuned for more information about their work, and we'll meet some of the people that the scheme is helping, so stay tuned!